Anti-seize ... bad?

[hermitcrab]

Ordered a pair of tires for the pick-up ....so I go to the local Belle tire to get installed , they informd me one of my aluminum rims are not re-useable because I had the audacity to use anti-seize on the rims to keep them from sticking to the rotors ... seems anti-seize will eat the aluminum???? news to me ... so my trip north to get a radio just got shot down for this weekend , now I have to find a rim from a junkyard ( because new ones are 1000 bucks ) just to get 2 tires replaced because anti-seize got on my threads and ate the part where the lugnuts seat in their holes .... gee I hope my sparkplugs don't blow out of the aluminum heads on the hemi because i used anti-seize on those threads ... but just to add to the insanity ... the tire guy says we will just use your spare until you get/find a rim .... ahh ok.... the spare is original and over 10 years old ... state law says any tire dealer cannot knowingly install a tire with a date code older that 7 years on any vehicle... owners can do it... but not a business ... this guy was worried about his job re-using a rim with worn lugholes , but no problems using a 10 year old spare ?.... give me a break ...I will snap a picture of the offending rim and let you guys judge how bad the holes on the rim look...so I had to tell mitch sorry about this weekend...PS... same rim was dismounted by another tire shop to replace the TPS this last winter... and they did ot say squat about the lugs being worn out , and they were the last to mount the tire on the truck about 3 months ago... am I getting suckerd?

[electra225]

When I was wrenching, I wouldn't dream of putting anything metal into anything aluminum without using anit-sieze compound. Spark plugs, water pump bolts, pan bolts, really any fasterner that contacted aluminum. I don't know what anti-sieze is made of, but it looks like ground up aluminum. I'd find a different tire shop. Good luck.

[William]

I'm with Greg, find a different tire shop. Maybe a Ma and Pa shop.

Bill

[electra225]

Or a Discount Tire if you can find one. Those guys are on the ball, and won't upsell you just to be selling something. They DO get a little silly with those TPS's though. Tire Pressure Sensors. They like selling those. The kid tried to sell me a set for my '63 Buick. We are lucky to have a Discount within a couple miles. Great people to do business with. In their defense, correct tire pressure out here in the heat is critical and is often overlooked.

[hermitcrab]

Discount is my usual go to... but for some reason they said they could not get the specific Cooper tire I was asking for .... but other shops had no problem ordering them and had them the next day... who knows?

[electra225]

I really believe I'd investigate a compromise that Discount could provide and not subject yourself to the foolishness of the other shop. Putting anti-sieze on wheels around here isn't done, because nothing rusts out here, and we don't have road salt like you guys in Michigan do. I'd say 99% of the wheels in Michigan have some type of corrosion due to the harsh conditions they run in. Maybe that shop, or another shop they are familiar with, got into legal trouble when a wheel collapsed due to corrosion. They may be ultra-conservative about wheel corrosion. Aren't the wheels in junkyards susceptible to the same corrosion as the ones you already have? Buying a couple $1000 apiece wheels just to get a certain model of Cooper tire doesn't sound like it would let the numbers add up to me, but what do I know? I wish you well with whatever you decide to do.

[hermitcrab]

Here is the offending rim... the two lugs one on left and at the top... if you look close there is a black ring where the aluminum is worn... that stopped the whole shebang right there .... and to add insult to injury ... one tire on back was low causing the tps to flash ... I let it go intentionally figuring they would do a courtesy check of all the tires...... NOPE... I got the truck back with the TPS flashing ...never again Belle Tire....

[electra225]

I'd say they are "pushing it a bit" calling those black rings corrosion. I'd say they are normal marks caused by the lug nuts being torqued (squeezed) against the wheel. Aluminum corrosion always looked kinda white and "fuzzy" IIRC. I's certainly think you are well-justified by at least getting a second opinion. I also think you are wise using anti-sieze on your wheels. Good luck.